What exactly is networking? It’s making connections that could turn into possible resources for your career. But does it actually work?

Absolutely. According to consultants Joanna Barsh and Susie Cranston in their 2009 book, “How Remarkable Women Lead: The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life,” research shows that building strong networks and having career mentors bring in promotions, higher wages and greater work gratification. How? A strong network offers professional advice and sponsorship, a job lead or an ideal employee for your own team.

Unfortunately, many women find networking intimidating or they feel awkward trying to form a relationship just to gain a career boost. In their book, Barsh and Cranston share that women tend to build few but deep relationships with people with whom they have something in common. But for a strong network, a wide range of relationships across age, gender, professions and career levels is essential. So how do you get around this awkward feeling or just regular dread? Remember, you will not just be taking from them, you will also be providing them with a valuable resource — you.

So where do I start?

Meet people. Attend networking events. Follow up the best connections with lunch dates. In her book, “Congratulations! You’ve Been Fired,” recruiter Emily Koltrmow explains how you can have lunch with 1,800 people by having lunch with just seven. Her logic is that these seven people each know 250 others. If you leave a good impression with them, you are actually leaving a good impression with all of their contacts.

But many of your contacts don’t have to come exclusively from networking events. I recently attended a mentoring panel in St Paul where Brian Scovil, senior vice president of product development for Boston Scientific in Arden Hills, said he is always watching for connections. He makes them with strangers who walk down the halls where he works or who eat in the break room where he eats. He also believes in making connections even with competitors, because someday they may work for the same team. At that same panel, Dr. Rahul Koranne, medical director of Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul, put it: “Look at people.” He added, “It doesn’t take much to start up a conversation.”

Once you make a connection, it is essential to maintain it. In their book, Barsh and Cranston tell a story of a woman named Amanda West who attributes her success as a chief innovation officer for a leading company largely to her network. And she works for it. She claims to spend 90 minutes a week just reinforcing her current connections

What kind of maintenance?

Choose a handful of contacts whom you really admire. Then share your resources to help them. Send them links to articles, organizations or videos they may find helpful. Listen to them and share your own experience or advice. If you know they have a job interview, send them a list of tricky interview questions with answers.

Another resource you have is your connections. As you make connections, don’t hoard them. Pass your wealth of information on. Connect your connections. Think of how much both of those individuals will value you as their connection.

So networking forms connections that could turn into resources for you career. It can be intimidating and take a lot of work, but it’s worth it. With each connection you make, you add possibilities to your career — and your life. Who knows? Maybe you’ll even make a lifelong friend.

Mary Gander is a marketing and communications professional at Boston Scientific.